


So Open Your Eyes You're Alive

by RisingShadows



Series: So breathe deep [2]
Category: 1917 (Movie 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, It's Blakes mom, M/M, POV Outsider, Tom Blake Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:13:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23345281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RisingShadows/pseuds/RisingShadows
Summary: Tom drags William Schofield home with him. Now she just has to wait for Joe to get the hint and drag his home with him too.
Relationships: Joseph Blake/Lieutenant Leslie, Tom Blake/William Schofield
Series: So breathe deep [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719796
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	So Open Your Eyes You're Alive

When Tom had first returned from the war he’d dragged one William Schofield home with him. Joe on the other hand had come alone, though she hadn’t missed the way he spoke of one man in particular in his letters. Joe may have come home alone but that didn’t mean her eldest hadn’t found someone else in the war. 

Now, nearly a full month after they’d returned and Will had never left. Becoming a rather permanent fixture in her house. A welcome one at that. The quiet man was after all a calming influence on her son. Something she had prayed for when he’d been a teen, getting himself into trouble at every chance he got. 

The young man would always be a welcome addition no matter what some believed. She had never cared for the beliefs of some people and well. She had no right to judge. Her son’s life was his own, and she had no right to look down on him for any decision he made, much less who he loved. She knew just as well as anyone should that you didn’t choose who you loved. 

Which was one of the reasons she was waiting for Joe to finally give in and let up on the nonchalant act he’d maintained since his return. The letters came weekly, Joe lighting up with each one and sending one out the moment he got the chance to sit and write. It wasn’t hard to tell that he was waiting each week for the day the letter would arrive. 

She remembered being young and in love, and both of her son’s were terrible liars. Tom couldn’t have hid the looks he sent towards Will if he’d tried. His attention focused nearly entirely on the other whenever they were anywhere within the small house. And even when they weren’t, she’d caught him plenty of times when they hadn’t even been in the same room. Tom staring through door ways and windows where he knew Will was. 

It didn’t help that they had pushed the small beds they’d had in Tom’s room together. Clearly hoping she simply wouldn’t think anything of it as they continued to act as if Will was simply any other friend. 

She had yet to call them on it. She’d let them relax a while longer before she’d ask just how serious young William Schofield was about her son. She had no doubt she already knew the answer after all. 

The one she was worried about was one Lieutenant Leslie as her son had called him in his letters. Well, he’d only added the lieutenant part once. Since the first letter introducing the other man he’d referred to him solely as Leslie. Something she may not have caught if she hadn’t kept all of her sons letters locked in a small chest in her room. 

Joe, she knew, had noticed that Will wasn’t simply a friend to Tom. He’d said nothing to her about it. And at this point she very much doubted he’d say anything about it all without prompting. Just as she highly doubted he’d say anything about the man she was nearly entirely certain he was pining over unless prompted. 

And well, mother’s were known to meddle. She’d been without her son’s more than a year before now. She had every right to meddle in their love lives. It wasn’t as if either of them would get the clue themselves. Which was how she’d come up with the plan she had. 

Greeting the three as they came in, mud and dirt on their clothes as her boy’s greeted her with wide smiles and Will nodded with one of his more subdued ones. “Joe, next letter you send you ought to invite the man to visit. It would be nice after all to meet one of your friends.”

The wide eyed glance she got from her eldest wasn’t all that surprising. Tom immediately turning to encourage his brother to do exactly as she asked wasn’t either. The youngest grinning widely as he chattered on about how he’d love to meet one of Joe’s friends. 

With both of them working together Joe had no chance of deflecting the request. Smiling slightly as he rubbed a hand at the back of his neck and agreed. “Next letter I send, although I don’t know if he’ll be able to come mum. Probably busy and all.”

She on the other hand had no doubt that if the man was what she thought he was to Joe he’d come. Most likely without questioning the request and hopefully he’d be able to come soon. Though soon could be relative depending on where exactly the man lived. 

It was two days later that Joe’s usual letter arrived. And the day after that he sent out his. He had smiled sheepishly as he told her he’d sent her request for the other man to visit. The 24 year old acting just as he had when he’d been a child and she’d caught him stealing cookies off the kitchen table before she’d called him in for supper. 

The wait to see what response would arrive was more anticipated than she’d expected. Her eldest son growing more and more nervous the longer the week went on and no letter arrived. Tom on the other hand simply dragged Will out everyday to escape the near constant pacing as Joe tugged his hands through his hair and tried to act as if nothing was bothering him. 

It was late Saturday night when the knock came at the door. Joe glancing up from where he’d been seated in the living room. Tom and Will still visible out the back window as Joe went for the door. 

Sighing as she went to follow she was almost surprised when her son froze. The door half open in front of him and a scruffy dark haired man standing on their porch. 

“Blake, today’s Friday isn’t it?” The moment the man spoke Joe lunged. Pulling the other man into a tight hug for a moment before pulling back, a wide grin spreading across his face before he swung around to look at her. 

“Mum, this is my friend Lieutenant Leslie. We trained together to be lieutenants. I’ve told you that before right?”

He had not in fact told her that. Though she wouldn’t hold it against him, it wasn’t as if she’d pressed for more information than he’d been willing to give. No, she’d been more than willing herself to play the waiting game. 

“Well Lieutenant, it is wonderful to meet you. Martha Blake.” The hand that shook her was warm, callused just like all three of the boy’s in her house. The man offering her a somewhat stilted smile as he cleared his throat. 

“Nice to meet you ah Mrs. Blake.” The attempt at politeness was enough for her as she led the man into the house. Her son trailing behind him. 

“Why don’t the two of you catch up while I call your brother in?” Behind her Joe mumbled out an agreement. Attention still caught on the other man as she walked out the door and stopped. 

She’d give them a moment, they had plenty to catch up on and she had no intention of being in the way. 

By now they’d probably already forgotten that she’d said she was coming back after all. And her son deserved the chance for at least a little while to catch up before Tom could bombard this Leslie of his with whatever questions he’d have. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I'll get another one shot out soon that'll have Tom & Will "meeting" Leslie so I can make Will and Leslie essentially into that spider man pointing meme. 
> 
> Sorry Leslie isn't in this much! Hopefully there'll be more with him soon. I have some other stuff planned, but I don't know how long those will take me.


End file.
